Gleek Life
by klg193
Summary: The new girl at McKinley finds she has a chance to start fresh. What path will she choose? And what happens when multiple guys are vying for her attention?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! I found this story I had started a while ago on my computer and I forgot how much I liked it. Figured I would add it and if you guys like it a lot I could update it further. However, I don't really watch Glee anymore so I might have to go and rewatch season one. Hope you like it!**

It was my first day as a junior at McKinley High School. Moving to Ohio was one of the most dramatic things I'd ever had to do. I had great friends back home in Pennsylvania and I had to pick up my life and move to Ohio for my father's new job. I really wasn't in the mood to start a whole new life here, but I had to. It was a sacrifice I had to make for my dad, but that's what families do. Even though it was my first day, McKinley had started a few weeks ago. It's a small school, so I was positive everyone would recognize me as "the new girl." Cool, that's a great first impression. I walked into the school and was surprised no one was giving me any glares or looks of confusion. Just the occasional look of interest every now and then. My first task was to report to the office to get my locker assignment and a stack of paper work. The only problem was I had no idea how to get there. I wandered down the halls and hoped that I would just stumble across my destination, but I knew that was a terrible plan. Just as I was about to stop and ask for directions someone stopped me.

"You look lost. Need help finding your way somewhere?" someone said. I looked up to find a tall guy in a football jersey standing in front of me. Number 5 to be specific.

"Uh, yeah I'm new here. Can you point me to the office?" I asked.

"Sure. I'm Finn by the way. What's your name?"

"Hi, I'm Kate. I just transferred here."

"I noticed. It's not that you stick out or anything but I'm not used to seeing a new face around here."

We walked down the halls and he explained more about himself to me. He was a junior too so there was a possibility we would have classes together. Then I saw these two big guys, both in letterman jackets walking down the hallway, one of them carrying a grape slushie. A moment later that grape slush was all over some guy. I couldn't help but notice the way he was dressed and I immediately thought he was a homosexual. I then felt terrible for judging this guy so quickly and I went to aid him. Finn followed me.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine. This is a daily ritual in our school." He said calmly. His voice was a little high pitched but I thought nothing of it.

"What? That's not right." I said looking up at Finn. He just shrugged his shoulders.

"You're sure you're alright?" I reiterated.

"Yes. I even have a change of clothes. Don't worry about me." He closed his locker and walked away.

Finn directed for me to follow him and we headed towards the office once again.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"Those guys are jerks. They pick on kids like Kurt who are different. It's stupid."

"I don't want to seem judgmental or anything , but is Kurt…is he-"

"Gay? Yeah he is. He gets it the worst of all. But he's strong."

"Oh. Can't the teachers do something?"

"Around here, status is kind of a big thing. The football players are at the top of the food chain. The teachers know that and they don't want to mess up the system."

"That's stupid. Someone should stand up to those guys."

"Some have tried but they only end up hurting themselves." I shook my head. Even though Finn was a football player I could tell he didn't like taking part in the daily ritual. We reached the office and I thanked him for the escort. He left for homeroom as I entered Principal Figgins office.

"Ah, Kate. I have been expecting you. I hope you didn't get lost."

"Oh no. Well I had some one show me the way."

"That's what I like to see in our student body. So, here is your schedule and here is a map of the school. And this is your locker number along with the combination." I took the papers and looked over my classes while trying to figure out where each classroom was on the map.

"These papers go home to your parents and must be signed and returned here tomorrow," he said handing me a stack of papers.

"We hope you feel welcome here Kate and if you ever need anything don't hesitate to see me. Any questions?"

"Actually yes. See I play soccer and I was wondering if it was too late to join the soccer team?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, it is too late. Tryouts were this summer and the team has already been made. There is always next year." I couldn't help but feel down. Soccer was the sport I played to keep me in shape during the fall. I loved the feel of running down the field to steal the ball away from the opponent. Back in Pennsylvania I was the best striker on the team. Of course none of that mattered now.

"Okay, that's all Principal Figgins. Thank you." I said while grabbing my stuff and going. I had the secretary write me a pass and I headed to my first class, Spanish. My schedule said my teacher was William Schuester. Interesting name. I somehow managed to find the classroom, thanks to the map, and I walked into the classroom.

I gave my pass to Mr. Schuester and I had to admit he was kind of cute. "Hi, you must be Kate! I'm Mr. Schuester, but you can call me Mr. Schue. Welcome to Spanish 3!" He shook my hand and I smiled back at him. Was he always this cheery in the morning?

"Hola clase. Tenemos una alumna nueva!" he said. The room was full of blank stares. I knew what he said, but I guess no one else did. He rolled his eyes and said, "We have a new student. Her name is Kate. Why don't we give her a warm McKinley welcome."

There were a few hello's mumbled but that didn't seem to please Mr. Schuester.

"Don't worry about it. It's still morning, I get it. I'm a teenager." He smiled and directed me to sit at a desk in the middle of the classroom in front of two blonde cheerleaders. I looked next to me and noticed I was sitting next to Finn, who was sleeping. I looked at him and laughed lightly before poking him. He awoke with a start and looked surprised to see me.

"Kate? Are you in this class?"

"I am now." I smiled.

"How was your meeting with Figgins?"

"It was alright. Besides the fact that it's too late for me to join the soccer team."

"You play soccer? Are you any good?"

"Well, I guess I'm a fairly good player. I was the best back home."

"Bummer man. We need some better players. You would've been a huge help. That sucks."

"And now I have nothing to do after school."

"You should manage the football team?"

"Be a manager? Isn't that something a bunch of giggly girls do with friends?"

"Well, I guess. But all the giggly girls here are cheerleaders. Besides, we could really use a manager."

"I mean it would give me something to do after school….Maybe I will."

"I'll take you to talk to coach after Spanish."

"Okay, maybe that would open up my social circle too."

"Finn! Who's your new friend?" the cheerleader behind us asked him.

"Oh, this is Kate. She's new."

"I'm Quinn." The prettier of the two cheerleaders said. "And this is Brittany."

"Hi, nice to meet you two." Quinn had her hair pulled back and curled into a single curl. She smiled genuinely and asked me a little about myself. Brittany just sat there zoning off into space.

"Is she okay?" I asked Quinn.

"Oh yeah. She just doesn't pay attention. Don't worry about it." I shrugged and we continued talking. I felt bad because it seemed like no one was paying attention to Mr. Schue, but I had learned all this stuff already. Apparently the curriculum in Ohio was different than Pennsylvania. Once we were dismissed, Finn showed me to the football coach's office.

"Coach! I found a manager." He said. I peeked into the small office and found a rather round man with tight shorts about to dig into a sub.

"Hi, I'm Kate. I'm new here."

"And you're interested in being the manager of the football team?" he asked with his mouth full.

"Well, it's too late for me to join the soccer team and I need something to do so yeah."

"Are you fully prepared for the job you're about to take on?"

"I didn't realize it required any preparation." I said. Finn nudged me and I added, "But sure. I'm ready for anything."

"Okay, you're on the team. Practice today after school." I nodded and we left.

"See, now you can meet all the football guys."

"Great." I said, suddenly unsure.

"It'll be fun. I promise." He smiled. We talked about football as he walked me to my next class, Calculus. I waved goodbye and walked into a class of a bunch of strangers. This would be my fate for the rest of the day. I stayed optimistic. The first day was always the worst. Once I met some new people I'd be fine.


	2. Chapter 2

The day continued on pretty uneventfully. I found myself overwhelmed with all the work I had to catch up on already. Then there was the friend issue. If I could play soccer, I'd immediately make friends. I tried to forget about my let down of the day and went to my locker to grab my things before football practice. I was hoping Finn would walk me out to the field, since I wasn't exactly sure of where I was going. I collected my things and shut my locker to find someone standing next to me already.

"Hey. You're new here. Kate right?" I looked up to see a guy sporting a mohawk and a football jersey. He was casually leaning against the lockers, smirking and giving me the flirty eyes.

"Yeah, Kate. And you are..?"

"I'm Noah, but I go by Puck. It's short for Puckerman."

"Oh cool."

"So, Finn tells me you're the new manager of the football team."

"That's correct. Although I'm not really sure what I signed up for."

"You get to sit around and watch us run plays and then you get to bring us water. And you probably have to keep score and write the roster. It's not a big deal. I promise."

"Sounds fun."

"Listen, since you're new here, I'm obligated to buy you dinner, since I'm on the football team and all. So, what do you say?"

"We'll see." I said walking away from him. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and watched me walk away.

"Hey Kate. How was your first day?" It was Quinn.

"Oh hey. Yeah it was alright. Still getting into the flow of things."

"Make any new friends?"

"I wouldn't say friends just yet but I've met some people. What do you know about that Puck guy?"

Quinn froze up, "Uhh…what do you want to know about him?"

"Well he just started talking to me and I think he asked me out." She stopped and grabbed my arm.

"Kate, I know that he's hot and charming but he's a total operator. He's made out with almost all the girls in school if not more. Just be careful around him."

"Oh." That was all I could say. Sure, Puck seemed like a flirt but he didn't seem like a player. It kind of brought down my mood a little bit.

"Come on, let's go. You have practice, don't you? I'm going to the football field too, so we can walk together."

We walked and she filled me in a little more about how things worked at the school. As soon as we got to the field she headed over to the 'Cheerios' and I headed toward the football team. The team was seated on the bench putting on their cleats. Finn looked up and noticed me. He waved and smiled as I approached the bench.

"Hi." I said to him.

"Hey Kate. Welcome to the football team."

"Thanks." I put my bag down near the bench and looked for Coach.

I felt an arm around my shoulder and I looked over to find that arm belonged to Puck.

"Team, listen up. This is Kate. She's the new team manager. She's cool so be nice to her."

"Yeah. What he said." For some reason, Puck's statement made me feel more confident. All the guys introduced themselves to me. I'd eventually remember all their names, but for now I only remembered a handful besides Finn and Puck. Coach came out and instructed them and me on what to do. They started with some drills and I sat and watched. I started on some of my homework while watching the guys work through some things. Quinn and Brittany came over and brought this brunette girl.

"Hey Quinn, Brittany, and…."

"Santana."

"Hi, I'm Kate."

"I know." Well….okay then.

"How's practice."

"It's torture. That's the price to pay for perfection though." Quinn said.

"Yeah, well being the football team manager seems to be easy enough."

"That's because our football team sucks." Santana said.

"Right."

"Okay well we better go before Coach Sue attacks us. See you tomorrow!" They all walked off. I really liked Quinn and I didn't mind Brittany but I had a weird feeling about Santana. I wasn't sure if she just didn't like me or if she was naturally unfriendly. I tried to forget about it when the whistle blew. The team huddled up and Finn signaled for me to join them. I closed my text book and jogged over to the middle of the huddle.

"Do you guys always smell this bad?" I asked jokingly. Some of the guys snickered while others got defensive. I just smiled at the fact that I was finally able to be myself around my new peers. Coach summed up practice and dismissed the team. I packed up my stuff and waited for the team to walk back into the school.

"Great job today." I said to Finn as we were walking back.

"Yeah, you too." He said.

I laughed, "I didn't even do anything."

"You sat through that awful practice didn't you."

"You might be right about that. See I don't get it. You guys have talent but you don't mesh together. You need some team bonding or something."

"That's a great idea. I'll remember that."

"Hey sweetie." Puck said. "So when are you free? Our dinner remember?"

"Oh right. See from what I hear you could get another date in 2 seconds."

"Well, while that might be true I don't want anyone else. I need someone new and different."

"You do realize that you aren't helping yourself right? I know your reputation and I'm not interested in being another accomplishment."

I really had a knack for leaving this guy speechless. I continued to the school and said goodbye to the team. I grabbed my keys and hopped inside my car to head home.


	3. Chapter 3

The warning bell rang for first period. I headed to Spanish early to get some papers from Mr. Schue that I needed for his Spanish class.

"Hey Kate. How are you adapting to McKinley?" He asked with the ever present smile on his face.

"I'm getting there. I just wish I knew more people. I mean obviously I'm not going to have a ton of friends after the first day, but still. It'd be nice to have more people to talk to."

His expression was that of thoughtfulness and after a few seconds he said, "You know, I think I might have a solution to your problem. See I run the school glee club and we're always welcoming new members. I think you'd fit in there just great."

"Really? Well I mean I don't have any experience with singing."

"We'd be happy to have you. And I know that you'd make friends there."

"Oh, I wish I could. But I signed up to be manager of the football team."

"That's not a problem. We have a handful of football players and Cheerios in the club. We're meeting after school today. Why don't you stop by?"

"I'll see if I can swing that."

"Hope to see you there."

I took my seat next to Finn and the bell rang to signal the beginning of class. He greeted me before putting his head in his arms and drifting off to sleep. I took notes, not really paying attention to class but thinking about this new opportunity that awaited me.

"Hey Coach?" I asked. I stopped in his office before lunch to ask about glee club. He looked up at me, somewhat surprised, and gave me his full attention. "So, I'm working on making friends here and someone suggested that I go to the glee club to meet some new people. Would it be okay if I came to practice a little late today?" He grumbled a little but gave me the okay. I smiled and walked off to lunch, hoping to find someone to sit with.

I walked into the cafeteria and saw someone waving me over to them. It was Puck. I rolled my eyes but eventually gave in to sitting with him and some of the other football players. Finn was there and so was Mike Chang, another member of the football team. There were some other guys too but I wasn't sitting near them so I didn't talk to them much. Mike is such a cool guy though. He's funny and surprisingly chill. I could definitely see myself becoming good friends with this kid. I wasn't used to hanging out with all guys, but right now it seemed like they were really my friends. Guys are easier to get along with compared to girls. They're simple and straight-forward and they pretty much say what they feel and think. I laughed so much at lunch and I was definitely coming out of my shell. Maybe I didn't need glee club after all? I decided to stop by anyway, out of courtesy more than anything. I told Mr. Schue I'd try my best to come and I didn't want to seem like a flake. Besides, you can never have too many friends.

I walked in to glee club and I became speechless. I immediately recognized a few familiar faces.

"Hey cutie." This came from Puck. This kid was everywhere. But seeing him in glee club was the surprise of the day. I never would've thought that he was one of the football players in glee. Finn was there too, which was also surprising but not quite as surprising as Puck.

"Hey Kate. Are you joining glee?" Quinn asked. She was in the club too, along with Brittany and Santana, who was giving me a death stare for some reason. Mike was there too and so was the kid who got slushied, Kurt was it?

"Kate, I'm so happy you stopped by!" Mr. Schue said. "Seems like you already know some of these guys, huh?"

"Well, yeah a few."

Finn came over and offered to do introductions. It seemed like he was a leader of the club as well as the football team.

"Everyone this is Kate. Kate this is everyone."

"Could you be a little more specific with that?" I asked.

"Oh right. There's Artie, Brittany, Quinn, Santana, Mercedes, Kurt, Tina, Mike, Rachel, and then Puck." Each person waved or acknowledged my presence in some way. They all seemed so different and I wondered how the songs sounded with such a diverse group. Then again, maybe that's what made them good. I couldn't be sure.

"What song will you be singing Kate?" Rachel, I think, asked. She seemed very uptight and perfectionist to me. Which could get annoying, but I'd deal with it.

"Am I supposed to sing something?"

"Well if you want to join the club, you have to. We need to make sure you can hold a tune."

"I'm not really prepared to sing anything."

"You have to. Right Mr. Schue?"

He looked slightly uncomfortable, "It would be nice if you sang a little something, but you aren't being forced to. We have some sheet music and a pianist if you need accompaniment."

I nodded and felt the right thing to do would be to sing. I couldn't read sheet music so I only hoped that there was music for a song I knew well. Paging through some of the music, I recognized a lot of the titles. But there was one song I knew really well. I grabbed the sheet and handed it to the pianist. I took a few minutes to compose myself and then I signaled him to start the piano.

I looked out to the 12 filled seats, and I took a deep breath. I didn't have any formal training, but I still I loved karaoke. When the right song comes on, I can't help but feel the music and get really into it.

"Turn it inside out so I can see, the part of you that's drifting over me. And when I wake you're, you're never there. But where I sleep you're, you're everywhere. You're everywhere."

If you haven't figured it out by now, the song I chose to sing was Everywhere by Michelle Branch. I know it's kind of cheesy, but it's a song I know inside and out. Plus it always puts me in a good mood so I was hoping to have the same effect on my peers. I continued on and it sounded good in my head. I couldn't read anyone's expression much further then heads nodding or a small smile. I just kept singing and I felt really comfortable too.

"'Cause you're everywhere to me. And when I close my eyes it's you I see. You're everything I know that makes me believe I'm not alone. 'Cause you're everywhere to me. And when I catch my breath, it's you I breathe. You're everything I know that makes me believe I'm not alone."

For having been ambushed and unprepared I thought I was doing a great job. Not only was I showing my true colors, but I was doing different things. Last year, I was known as the school jock. I played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. I had a varsity spot on all three teams since my freshman year. Sports were always my thing and now I was expanding my horizons, and I liked it.

"You're in everyone I see. So tell me, do you see me?"

I belted out the final note and closed my eyes, ready for criticism. But it was quiet. I opened my eyes in a panic and saw 12 faces staring at me.

"Was I that bad?" I asked.

"Are you kidding? That was phenomenal!" Kurt said.

"Kate, why didn't you tell us you could sing like that?" Finn said.

"I guess I never really knew?"

"Welcome to glee club!" Mr. Schue said. I smiled and took a seat next to Quinn on the end.

"Kate, that was incredible. You could give Rachel a run for her money." She whispered to me. I couldn't help but blush. It was obvious that Rachel was, or at least in her mind, the star of the glee club. She wasn't difficult to read. She looked upset, maybe even threatened. I didn't mean to steal any of her spot light but apparently I did. Mr. Schue announced that instead of learning a new song today he wanted me to get to know everyone better. They all filled me in on the routines of the club and then we played a bunch of games that involved revealing little things about ourselves. Then at the end, Mr. Schue took suggestions for songs we could sing. As we were dismissed, Mr. Schue asked to talk to me privately.

"Kate, I had no idea you could sing that well."

"Yeah, well neither did I."

"I think you're going to make a great addition to our club."

"I sure hope so. I'll see you tomorrow Mr. Schue."

I caught up with Finn and Puck, since we were all heading to football practice. Mike was nowhere to be found. I don't know if he dashed off to football practice and left glee early or what.

"Who knew my girl had a set of lungs on her." Puck said.

"Please, I'm not your girl. Only in your dreams." I replied. He just smiled smugly, clearly not amused by my comment.

"But seriously, you can sing. We could totally use your voice. Maybe we'll sing some romantic duets." Puck said. I laughed and said, "If you insist."

We arrived at practice with 15 minutes left. The boys didn't even bother changing into practice gear. We all just sat on the bench and talked.

"So tell me the truth about glee club. I want all the gory details." I told the two friends.

"Well, glee club members aren't exactly popular. We're kind of losers actually." Finn said.

"Our being on the football team kind of saves us a little so I wouldn't consider us losers. Since you're now good friends with us and the manager of the football team, you'll probably score popularity points." Puck added.

"I actually don't care about popularity. I just want to make good friends that I'll keep throughout my life. That's the thing I regret about my last school. I knew a ton of people, mainly from sports, and none of them really cared when I announced I was moving. I mean sure they were sad for a little while but they got over it pretty quickly. I just want some real, genuine friends that I can have good conversations with."

"Wow, that was kind of inspiring." Finn said.

"My perspective's just changed that's all." I said.

"The kids in glee are actually pretty cool though. I can honestly say that I like talking to every person in the club." Finn commented.

"Well except for Rachel." Puck muttered.

"Why does everyone dislike Rachel? Sure, she has a strong personality but she's good inside. I like her. She's interesting."

"I don't think she likes me. After my audition, everyone congratulated me or at least said something to me. Except for her."

"That's because you're awesome. She's always had the best voice but with an annoying personality. Now you come with a great voice and a friendly and relaxed personality. She's threatened." Puck said.

"I didn't mean to steal her show or anything. Mr. Schue just recommended I stop by. I wasn't even planning on singing. Could you tell her that? I really meant no harm."

"Sure. I'll let her know. I think she'll be relieved to hear that." Finn replied.

"I hope so." I said. Coach blew the whistle and we all huddled up. He seemed somewhat upset that we were late to practice, Puck and Finn more so than myself. They're sort of the best players on the team so practice without them couldn't be very productive. We were dismissed with a slight glare from Coach and even some of the team mates. We shrugged it off and walked off the field. The boys went into locker room to pick up their stuff but Puck, Finn and I had all of our stuff with us. We retreated to the parking lot and went our separate ways.

I sat in my car and turned the keys…and nothing happened. I turned them again and the same result happened. I'm not exactly familiar with cars. At all. I sighed and opened my car door. Finn had already driven off but Puck was still around. I figured he knew a little more about cars than I did. He saw me get out of my car and I walked over to his. He put down the window on the passenger side and looked at me curiously.

"Change your mind on that date?" He asked.

I gave him a look before I said, "Do you know cars?"

"Sure, I know cars."

"Good, I need your help." I signaled for him to follow me to my car and he casually cut the engine and stepped out of his car. I led him to the Camry and he hopped into the drivers' side. After turning the keys with no sign of life from the car, he popped up the hood. I leaned against the side of the car waiting for the current state of my car.

"Yeah, something's not right here. I think part of it is a dead battery but there has to be more to it. A dead battery would at least make some kind of noise. I think the best bet would be to get a tow truck and take it in to the shop."

"Great. What a perfect start to my week." I said sarcastically. He shut the hood and stood with me as I called Triple A. "They'll be here in twenty minutes, which really means an hour. Now I have to hang out here for a while, and then call my mom to come pick me up."

"No you don't. I'll stay with you and drop you off once they tow your car."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course. I wouldn't just leave you here."

"That's really nice." Was all I could think to say. He moved his car so it was next to mine as I grabbed my things from the car and locked it. He invited me to sit in his car with him so I "wouldn't get cold" even though the air wasn't exactly uncomfortable.

"Why are you doing all this for me? You could easily drive off and just leave me here."

"Sure, but I actually like you as a person. And this is a great opportunity to really get to know you."

"I'm not going to make out with you, so don't even ask, kay?"

"Wasn't even going to bother. You've made it clear you have no interest in me."

"It's not that I have no interest in you, but I'm not falling for any of your traps. I kind of have high standards."

"Are you saying I'm not good enough?" he said, falsely offended.

"I haven't decided yet." I smiled at him.

He turned on the radio and flipped the station a few times. I couldn't even guess on what kind of music Puck listened to. There were too many genres and too many I could see him listening to. It ended up being a pop/rock/alternative station that I would have put on in my car. Just then I song I was pretty familiar with, by one of my favorite bands came on. Puck turned to me and I just knew he was going to sing it, to me specifically.

"It's 3 a.m., I'm outside your window. Jump the fence, dad will never know. Fell in love with you in my passenger seat. And then you took control of the radio. And turned up all the songs I know. I'm risking everything, and that's alright with me. Roll down the window, never get caught. Baby, no one will know."

Really. What are the odds the song Passenger Seat by The Summer Set comes on as I am sitting in his passenger seat. I just smiled and laughed as he was being flirty and silly all the same. Perhaps a slight blush crept onto my cheeks.

"Just sweep me off my feet again. My new addiction, I'll be waiting. I've been addicted to this story of a girl. Who can help this boy meets world. Just sweep me off my feet again."

It was then I realized how great his voice was. I guess I was too flabbergasted at the fact he was singing to me to even notice the quality of his voice. It was evident his talent came naturally, as he didn't even seem to sound incredible. I still couldn't believe how perfectly this had worked out for Puck. I considered the idea that he planned the whole thing, but discarded it almost immediately. It would be so much trouble and to have it work out perfectly would be nearly impossible. It's not that Puck wasn't smart, but I didn't think he'd be clever enough to pull this stunt off.

He finished singing the song and all I could do was smile and give him a look of disbelief.

"Firstly, you are very talented. Second, how did you manage to pull that off? The perfect song for the perfect scenario?" I asked him.

"Well, thank you. I know I'm a great singer. And hey, so are you! So we should sing together sometime! Oh and that was purely coincidental."

I laughed, "Right." After some talking and joking around, the tow truck finally came. I gave him my information and he said that they would take my car into shop and call me when it was drivable. I thanked him and he pulled my car away. That was hard to watch. Especially since none of it was my fault.

"So, I don't think it's completely fair that Mr. Triple A gets your number and I don't. I didn't think you were that kind of girl Kate. You don't even know him!"

"Puck, he needs my number so he can call me when my car is fixed."

"Come on, after all I've done for you, the least you can do is give me your number."

I sighed but he was right. I signaled for him to hand his phone over and I entered my number. "Consider yourself lucky. I don't give out my number to just anyone."

"Except for the Triple A guy right?"

"What can I say? I have a thing for handymen," I joked

We both got into the car and I directed Puck on where to turn. He was actually a pretty good driver. I had my doubts at first, but he proved himself worthy. It only took about 10 minutes to get to my house. He pulled into the driveway and I was fairly certain neither of my parents were home. Puck cut the engine but left the radio on.

He turned to me and said, "Kate, believe it or not, I really like you. Which is why I have to tell you something, even though I know you'll freak out."

"Freak out? Not sure if you've noticed, but I'm a pretty chill person."

"Yeah, but this is pretty serious."

"Okay, spill."

"So last year, Finn and Quinn were together, the perfect couple. I mean the head cheerleader and the quarterback? It's perfect. But their popularity and relationship went downhill when Quinn got pregnant."

I gasped in surprise, seeing as Quinn was very involved in the celibacy club.

"The problem was that Finn didn't get Quinn pregnant. I did. And for a while I was really in love with Quinn. I wanted to keep the baby actually. But she didn't think she could handle it. Her parents kicked her out when they heard the news and she just went through a lot of trouble. I'm sure once you two grow closer she'll tell you. But I'd rather you hear about it this way then from someone else."

"Wow. You really made a move on your best friend's girl? That's unforgiveable in my book." I said with disgust.

"I know how wrong it was of me and I can't believe Finn is even still friends with me. He's just a great guy I guess."

"Hmm, maybe I should go out with Finn then?" I said, purely to bother him.

"Well, you can if you really want to. But the point I'm trying to get across is that I've changed. I'm not that guy anymore. I used to be all about sleeping with girls and having the player reputation but now I'm looking for the one girl I want to be with, and I think that's you!"

"Puck, how can you say that? You don't even know me."

"Maybe it's just a gut feeling, but I know you're the one. From the moment I laid eyes on you. If you were just any girl, I would've stopped hitting on you once you turned me down. But something in me keeps going for you. You're all I think about. Please, just give me a chance?"

"I don't know. I have to think about this first. And how do I know you even mean all this? Some guys will say anything. How do I know you're serious?"

"You just have to trust me. I don't know what else to do."

It was quiet. I was thinking about all this information that had been pushed in my face. Of course I didn't believe him. I'd known this kid for two days. And Quinn warned me about his player rep. I technically hadn't witnessed him flirting with other girls. I had no reason to trust him. Yet, I hadn't completely blown up at him. And the look in his eyes seemed genuine, but I had no idea what to think.

"I just need some time to think," was all I could think to say. He nodded and accepted his fate as I thanked him and got out of the car.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up the next morning feeling more relieved. It had taken me ages to fall asleep because my mind was racing so fast. Puck had totally blindsided me, but after a night of thinking, I decided to be thankful that he did tell me. It wouldn't change anything between us though. I wasn't planning on going out with him anytime soon, but I wasn't mad at him either. After dressing and packing up my things, I poured myself a cup of coffee and quickly grabbed a granola bar. I lifted my keys off the hook and went out to the garage only to find that my car was missing. Ah yes, how could I forget about my incident from yesterday? Seeing as both my parents had left the house already, my only option was really to ride my bike. This I was not looking forward to. I was pushing my bike out of the garage when I saw a familiar car pull into my driveway. The black jeep currently on my property happened to belong to Puck. I just stood there in awe for a moment. He cut the engine and stepped out of the car.

"I figured you could use a ride." He smiled. I was speechless. He had totally saved the day and I was not expecting anything of that sort at all.

"Are you mad? I texted you earlier but you never texted me back, so I just assumed that you needed someone to pick you up." He added, seemingly nervous.

"How….how did you know?"

"I just thought it was the right thing to do. Plus, I wanted to get back on your good side."

"Your timing is impeccable. I honestly don't know what to say right now besides thank you." I said with a look of astonishment written all over my face.

"You can thank me later. Hop in." He said confidently. I wheeled my bike back into the garage and took the passenger seat. He flipped the radio a few times before coming across a decent station.

"So, you still mad at me?" he asked.

"No. I thought it all over last night and I have come to the conclusion that you actually did the right thing by telling me. I respect that."

"Does that mean we have a date?"

I laughed slightly and said, "Not exactly. This doesn't change anything except bring us a tad closer."

"What do you want me to do?"

"See, if I tell you, it'll be too easy. You need to figure it out yourself." He clearly wasn't pleased with this answer, but it was final. I want a guy who does the right thing on his own and doesn't have to be told. Maybe a casual hint here and there, but nothing too obvious.

We arrived at the school, receiving some looks because of the carpooling situation, but I let it slide. People could think whatever they wanted.

The day progressed slowly as I was most looking forward to class with the New Directions. When the time finally came, I sauntered into the room and everyone was acting casual, talking and relaxing. I took a seat between Puck and Quinn. The bell rang and Mr. Schue came into the room. "Hey guys. How's everyone doing?" he said with enthusiasm. Everyone responded something different and we officially started.

"So this week, you guys can pick our theme. I have to approve it, of course, but I'm trying to give you a little more freedom."

"Nice. Way to loosen up Mr. Schue." Santana said.

"Can we do sexy songs?" Brittany asked. The look on Mr. Schue's face was priceless. It was a combination of shock and discomfort.

"That's actually kind of a great idea. We could step away from the modest songs and sing more risqué songs. Something different and more difficult for some of us. It will definitely be a challenge." Rachel added.

"Not for me, but hey, I'm all for it." Santana stated, while filing her nails.

"Yeah, maybe it will attract some more kids to glee club!" Finn interjected.

"What kind of songs are we talking about here?" Mr. Schue asked. It was quiet for a second as everyone was thinking. I immediately had a few ideas. Well, maybe just one.

"What about Promiscuous, by Nelly Furtado?" I suggested.

"That one with Timbaland?" Artie asked.

"That's the one." I said.

"Why don't you sing it for us Kate?" Mr. Schue said.

I shrugged and stood from my seat, prepared to sing.

"Well, you're going to need a Timbaland, right?" Puck questioned excitedly.

"Right…." I replied.

"Alright, I got your back on this one." He said as he stood up to join me. I rolled my eyes and smirked as Finn gave us a beat on the drum.

We started off the song with spoken dialogue:

"Am I throwing you off?" I asked, flirtatiously.

"Nope." Puck responded.

"Didn't think so."

Puck had the first lines to sing, or rap in his case.

"How you doing young lady? The feeling that you're giving really driving me crazy. You don't have to play about the joke. I was at a loss of words the first time that we spoke."

To which I responded, "If you're looking for a girl that'll treat you right. If you're looking for her in the daytime with the light."

"You might be my type if I play my cards right. I'll find out by the end of the night."

"You expect me to just let you hit it. But will you still respect me if you get it?"

"All I can do is try, give me one chance. What's the problem, I don't see no ring on your hand? I'll be the first to admit, I'm curious about you. You seem so innocent."

"You want to get in my world, get lost in it. Boy, I'm tired of running. Let's walk for a minute."

And to the chorus, Puck started again with the lyrics "Promiscuous girl, wherever you are. I'm all alone and it's you that I want."

"Promiscuous boy, you already know, that I'm all yours. What you waiting for?"

"Promiscuous girl, you teasing me? You know what I want and I got what you need."

"Promiscuous boy, let's get to the point. 'Cause we're on a roll, are you ready?"

The song continued with that same back and forth lingo. We both got really into and started dancing. It became almost a chase, very cat and mouse. He would come close to me and I would dance with him for a minute before spinning the other direction and have him follow me. It was very 'hard to get' combined with playful teasing. It's a pop song, so singing it isn't that difficult. Especially considering it was on the radio all the time when it was popular. The song ended on the chorus, with my final line being different. But I thought it was a success. I ended posing in Puck's arms and I was breathless. From singing, I am certain. Not from being in his arms or anything like that. I couldn't help but look into his eyes, which are a gorgeous shade of green, just like mine.

Finn started applauding and every else joined in, even Rachel much to her dismay. I'm sure she'd have this performance topped by tomorrow. I looked toward Mr. Schue, hoping he wasn't disgusted with us, but he was smiling and clapping along with the others.

"That was awesome. You two are totally perfect for each other." Brittany said. I couldn't help but blush, as I'm sure that was music to Puck's ears. Santana shot her a look of disbelief and nudged her side. Brittany looked at her and said, "What?" Santana rolled her eyes and let it go.

We returned to our seats and received our assignment for the week, a sexy song. As great as my example was, it didn't count as my song for the week. I had to get those creative juices flowing again and come up with an even greater performance. Although it meant extra work, it didn't bother me. I really had a passion for singing and I couldn't believe I never realized it before.

The bell rang and class was over. I stopped at my locker to get my books for next period and Puck approached me. "So, we were pretty great in there. At least for an unplanned performance. Kind of like the dream team."

"I suppose you could say that."

"We should do more songs like that. Maybe this week, we pick another duet to do?" he offered.

"I'll think about it. If I can't come up with another good song, I'll let you know and we can do a duet." I said, closing my locker.

"Awesome. I'll start looking now."

"Just remember, that was not a definite yes." I added. He nodded, but I don't think he was really listening.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. See, there's this party on Friday night and I think it would be a ton of fun if you came." He said.

"Hmm, a party. That sounds sort of fun. I don't have any plans for Friday so I suppose I could make an appearance." I stated.

"Pick you up at 9?" He asked. I was about to protest when I realized that I didn't have a car. And no way were my parents going to drop me off.

"Make it 9:30. Fashionably late is the best way to show up to a party."

"That is so true. What would I do without you?"

"You'd be misguided and probably be hooking up with tons of girls. Am I right?"

He had no response to that and I took that as my cue to head to class. I turned around to find him with a confused yet pleased expression on his face as he watched me walk away. Mission accomplished.


	5. Chapter 5

I was sitting on the bench, working through my homework and found I could not stop checking the time on my watch. It continued to read 4:47, meaning there was about 15 minutes of practice left. Don't get me wrong, I like being the football manager. But sometimes it can be a little dry. You can only fill up water bottles so many times. The whistle blew and moments later Finn found a seat next to me. I looked up at him and smiled as he started chugging down some water.

"Tough being the star quarter back, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah, well it's tough when no one on the field can catch the ball," he joked

I laughed lightly and added, "Touché."

"So, do you need a ride home today?" This question took me by surprise, but in a good way.

I thought for a moment before answering. "Well, I guess I do. Unless Puck's planning to drive me."

"Why don't you let me take you?"

"Sure, okay. I'll meet you outside the locker room then?"

"Sounds good. Well I should get back. See you in a few."

"Later." I commented as he darted onto the field.

Practice ended soon after and as the boys retreated to the locker room, I took on my post-practice routine. I dumped out all the water and ice from the coolers, grabbed the mats and loaded them onto the Gator (or ATV if you prefer) with the water and ice, and then drove off to the training room. Once finished, I packed up all my stuff and headed to wait outside the locker room. Some of the guys filed out quickly while others took a little longer. Puck emerged and seemed happy to see me.

"Ready to go?" he said to me. Oh, so Finn hadn't told him yet. That was my job apparently. Nice.

"Oh, actually Finn offered me a ride home. I figured that you could use a break from chauffeuring me around, yeah?"

"But I like chauffeuring you around," he pouted.

"Well that's sweet, but I told Finn he could take me. He probably just wants an update of how I'm fitting in here. He hasn't had any time to talk to me since I'm always with you."

He sighed, "Fine, he can drive you. But I'm still picking you up tomorrow morning right?"

I giggled, "Yes, you have the privilege of driving me to school tomorrow morning."

"Awesome. I'll see you tomorrow then," he said walking away.

"Goodbye Puck."

I was expecting Finn to exit the locker room moments later, but I was mistaken. It seemed like every other player left the locker room before him. It wasn't bad though because I got to talk to a few of my new friends and quiz myself on all their names. Finally, after everyone cleared out, Finn came out of the locker room.

"Did you haaaave to be the last one out and keep me waiting?" I whined.

"I don't have to be, but I like being last. I make sure everything's where it's supposed to be and that everyone has a ride home and stuff."

"Well, that is actually very responsible. I respect that and I am no longer annoyed that I had to wait a few extra minutes."

"I am sorry you had to wait though. I should have told you or something but I just didn't think ahead."

"No it's cool. Don't worry about it." We approached his car, a navy blue pick-up truck originating somewhere around the mid 1990's. It suited him. He kindly offered to take my bag for me, which I let him do, and he put it in the back of the truck. Always the gentleman. And to top it all off, he opened the car door for me. I was really starting to reconsider my choice of friends. Maybe I should date Finn. He was certainly a better guy than Puck and I bet he would take good care of me. I pushed this thought to the back of my mind, trying not to get ahead of myself. I gave him basic directions to my house, which was about 15 minutes away on a good day, and he seemed to know exactly where he was going from there.

"So, is there a specific reason you asked to drive me home, or are you just being friendly?" I asked inquisitively.

"Both actually. I want to hear about how you're fitting in and stuff, but I was also hoping to bring up a topic or two."

"Hmm, interesting. Might as well get the boring part over with. I am slowly adapting to McKinley and am steadily making good friends. I'd consider you and Puck two of my closest friends and Quinn is inching her way up. Is that a good enough answer?"

He chuckled softly, "Sure. If you need any help or advice or anything, let me know. And glee club?"

"I'm surprised to find that I actually enjoy glee club a lot. I thought I was made for sports only but apparently not."

"Awesome. That's how I was too. But I can tell you're fitting in. Like today with that impromptu singing and stuff? So cool. I was actually thinking we could sing a duet this week. Are you interested?"

Great. Yet another phenomenal singer and a close friend who wants to sing with me. What to do?

"It's funny you should ask that because Puck asked me the same thing. I really don't want to pick between you two, because you're both so great. So maybe I'll just sing a solo this challenge and we can see how this friendship progresses."

"Okay, fair enough. I can understand that."

"I promise we'll sing a duet together at some point! I'm sure we'd be fantastic."

"I can agree with that."

"And what this other topic that seems to be oh so secretive?"

"It's actually more a matter of curiosity. What's going on with you and Puck?" he asked with implying undertones.

I sighed and answered, "I don't really know. I mean he must have some feelings for me since he's constantly flirting and talking with me. And I like being with him, but I think he's misunderstood. I guess if he really wants to catch me, he has to do it with a big gesture. It's the only way that I'll know he's serious."

"So you like him?"

"I am….undecided. There are a lot of great guys around here and I haven't figured out which one is the best for me."

He just nodded his head as we pulled into my driveway. He parked the car and nearly jumped out to open my door for me. I thanked him as he grabbed my book bag for me.

"Hey, do you want to come inside? It's the least I can do," I offered. He looked thoughtful and probably would have denied if I hadn't added, "Come on. I insist." He shrugged and followed me into the house. My parents were still at work so no introductions were necessary. I told him to make himself comfortable on the sofa while I popped some popcorn to snack on.

"So, how's life been for you?" I asked him, trying to start conversation.

"…well, it's been alright I guess. Not good, not bad," he said after a long pause.

"That wasn't too convincing. I feel like there's something bothering you." After I said that he made a face and I could tell that my assumption was correct. What it was, I couldn't be sure. Finn kind of had the perfect image and I couldn't imagine anything being wrong in his life. But then again, I didn't know him super well, being new here.

Finn remained quiet, and to keep things from getting awkward I said, "Hey, do you want to watch a movie or something?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Let's see, Zoolander, Little Miss Sunshine, 16 Candles, Monty Python, Inception, A Knight's Tale, The Princess Bride, any of those sound appealing?" I asked, listing some of my favorite movies.

"You can pick," he said, being polite.

"Finn, I've seen all of these movies a million times. You pick."

"I guess the last one, Princess Bride. I haven't seen that."

"You've never seen The Princess Bride? But, it's a classic!" I popped the DVD in and got comfy on the couch next to Finn.

I felt privileged to be there for Finn's first viewing of The Princess Bride. He seemed to enjoy it, but who doesn't? About halfway through the movie I lost some of my energy, so I rested my head on Finn's shoulder. He didn't seem to mind and we continued to get comfier and comfier. Soon the movie ended and I got up to remove the disk.

"So, what did you think?" I asked Finn.

"I loved it. I can't believe I hadn't seen it before today."

"Classic right?"

"Definitely." It was quiet for a moment when Finn said, "Hey Kate?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Can we talk?" He seemed sort of serious and I immediately became concerned. I rushed over to the couch where he was sitting.

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

"So you know how before you asked me how my life was going?"

"Well, yeah."

"I didn't really give you a straight answer, and I feel like I should."

"Finn, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to. Please don't feel obligated."

"No, I want to. I can trust you."

"Okay, well I'm listening."

"It's just, my Dad died when I was little and I feel like I need a father figure in my life now more than ever. Then my Mom's been really stressed with her work and paying the bills and everything. It seems like no matter how much I try to help, it isn't enough."

The look on his face was heartbreaking. He just looked so….sad. I grabbed his hands and looked into his eyes. "Hey, it'll be alright. You are doing the best you can and besides that there's nothing else you can really do. Just stay positive and you'll get through it, I promise. And if you ever need anything I'll be here, ready to help however I can."

"Thank you for not saying 'I'm sorry about your dad.' It seems like everyone automatically responds with that when death is brought up in conversation."

"It's no big deal. If it were me in that situation I wouldn't want other people's pity."

"Exactly! I'm really glad we did this today. I mean I've only known you for a few days but I feel like we are already pretty close. You just understand me so much better than everyone else. I expect to be seeing a lot more of you from now on," he said.

"I'm happy to help. Seriously, if you need anything, give me a call. I'll be here more than likely."

"I'll remember that. Yeah, well I should be going. I don't want my mom to worry about me or anything."

"Oh, right. I'll walk you out." I followed him out the garage door and out to the driveway. It was pretty dark outside; especially considering it was 5:45. Seconds later Finn reached his car door and turned around. We were now facing each other accompanied by some slight awkwardness. I was unsure of how we were about to depart. He wasn't just going to leave, or else he never would have turned around. He took a step toward me and I assumed he was going for the hug. I stepped onto my tiptoes and attempted to wrap my arms around his neck, but it was difficult considering the height difference. He leaned down a little to make my job easier and he put his arms around my torso. It was a tight hug and it felt meaningful. Then I pulled away after a significant amount of time passed and I was surprised by the second time today. While I had broken away from Finn, he leaned in even closer to plant a soft kiss on my lips. After the initial shock, he pulled away and I just stood there stunned, with a stupid grin on my face.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kate. Oh and thanks for everything."

It took me a few seconds to form a sentence and it was something along the lines of, "Yeah, no problem."

He drove off with a cute little wave and I walked back inside. So many thoughts were zooming through my head right now. Finn was such a great guy and we had really bonded that afternoon. And honestly, the kiss was really nice. I was just having conflicting feelings about Finn and Puck at the moment. I mean, Puck has been trying the whole week to get a date with me. But then Finn just came out of nowhere and made a connection with me. And we kissed. I wasn't sure if it was my responsibility to tell Puck about that or if Finn would say something. Regardless, things just got way more complicated, but I can't say I didn't enjoy kissing Finn. I just needed to sleep on it and hopefully make a decision sooner rather than later.


	6. Chapter 6

"For my 'sexy song' I will be singing Hot by Avril Lavigne," Rachel announced to us all. I could tell she was trying to look a little more risqué but her attempts had failed. She still looked as preppy as ever.

"You're so good to me, baby baby. I want to lock you up in my closet, where no one's around. I want to put your hand in my pocket, just because you're allowed. I want to drive you into the corner, and kiss you without a sound. I want to stay this way forever, I'll say it loud."

As Rachel was singing, I was listening, but not watching. My eyes were wandering and they met Finn's for a moment. He smiled at me and I smiled back. We hadn't talked since yesterday and I was unsure of how our conversation would go. Based on that look, however, I wasn't feeling nervous.

Rachel must have seen the look that Finn was giving me because not only did her volume increase, but the look on her face was more angry than sexy.

"Now you're in, and you can't get out. You make me so hot. Make me want to drop. It's so ridiculous, I can barely stop. I can hardly breathe. You make me want to scream. You're so fabulous. You're so good to me baby, baby. You're so good to me baby, baby." She sang the chorus, and don't get me wrong, it sounded great. But I just felt like she was over singing it a little bit. Maybe that was just her style.

Suddenly something landed in my lap. I looked down and found a crumpled piece of paper. I looked around curiously and saw Puck watching me with a smug smile. We made eye contact briefly and I felt a chill go up my spine, in the best possible way. I assumed the note was from him. He nodded and urged me to open it. I looked at him cautiously but followed his advice.

The note read: Check your phone.

Not exactly what I was expecting, but I slyly pulled out my cellular device and noticed that I had a new text message from Puck. Surprise, surprise. I opened the text, expecting something great to be in there, but all it said was: we're still on for tomorrow right?

Oh right! The party tomorrow night! I legit would have forgotten had it not been for Puck. I texted him back: yes, but need I remind you this is not a date.

His response was almost immediate: not yet it's not.

I didn't feel the need to respond. I looked to him across the room and could tell he was beyond excited, no matter how much he was trying to hide it. I had to admit, it was rather adorable. And then I remembered what had happened between me and Finn. I still hadn't told Puck and I really was not looking forward to that conversation. I was still unsure as to how he would react. My plan was to tell him in the car this morning, but I chickened out. I'm not exactly good with confrontational stuff.

Rachel finally finished her rendition of Hot and the applause followed. This led me to my next thought, which revolved around the fact that I still didn't have a song to sing for tomorrow. I could probably pass it off, but it was my first week. I didn't want to seem lazy just yet. I'd have to brainstorm when I returned home. Either that or Google, and something in me was leaning toward the second option.

The bell rang, interrupting my deep thoughts. I quickly collected my things and zipped up my book bag. Everyone had left the room except for Finn and I. He was waiting for me, which was good because we hadn't had a chance to talk until now.

"Hey Kate," he said ever so sweetly.

"Hi Finn. How are you?"

"I'm alright, and yourself?"

"I've been better," I stated plainly.

"Something bothering you?"

"Nothing in particular. A lot of things are starting to pile up and I'm just a little stressed."

"Do you need something to relieve stress?"

"I probably should. I'm never good with that."

"How's tonight?"

"I could probably swing that. What did you have in mind?"

"It's a surprise. I'll pick you up at 7." He walked away, leaving me curious and also slightly nervous. But I trusted him, so I knew things would be alright.

The day went on uneventfully, as per usual. All the learning and socializing and stuff tends to blend together after a few days. Being the new girl had its ups and downs. Everyone recognized me and seemed to know me, but only certain people interacted with me. I was becoming better friends with the football players and being the manager of the team just got more and more fun, even if our team was terrible. They actually seemed to be getting slightly better. I don't know why but suddenly more plays were being made and more points were scored. The first game of the season was next Friday and I was in charge of the scoreboard.

Practice ended and we all gathered into the huddle. Somehow, I ended up in the middle and the smell was almost unbearable. It was kind of interesting how my best friends this year were pretty much all guys. The girls seem pretty cliquey and catty, and I'm just not into that stuff. Guys are much easier to get along with. They are straight forward and to the point. There's nothing you really have to figure out about them.

They all headed toward the locker room and I collected all the things I needed to clean up. I didn't know who was planning on driving me home tonight, but I was kind of hoping it would be Puck. I hadn't seen as much of him lately. Once all of my work was finished I waited out in the parking lot hoping to find a ride home. Puck saw me first and approached me with a smug grin on his face.

"You need a ride, don't you?" he asked ever so slyly.

"Maybe," I commented.

"You're coming with me," he said, signaling for me to follow him. I walked in step with Puck and he surprised me by taking my bag from me.

"When did you become such a gentleman?" I asked.

"Just another one of my dazzling personality traits." I had to laugh. He opened the door for me, impressing me further and he placed my bag in the back with his own.

"So how have you been Puckerman? I feel like it's been a few days since we've hung out."

"Well that's because you've been spending so much time with Finn. He won't stop talking about you."

"Oh, I meant to tell you about that. See yesterday he gave me a ride home and we ended up hanging out."

"Yeah, that's cool. We are best friends."

"There's more. I guess we were talking and then we, sort of kissed?"

Puck was quiet for a moment. He looked over at me briefly and then turned back to the road.

"I don't know what's going on between us but as of right now, we're just friends. Okay?" I added, hoping to relieve the tension. It didn't do much. "Please don't be mad at me. Even though we aren't a couple or anything, I don't want to hurt you and it just sort of happened. I wasn't planning it or anything."

Still silence. I racked my brain but I couldn't come up with anything else to say to make this any better. I guess I just had to wait for him to say something.

"I'm upset, but not with you. I guess I just have some things to workout okay? I'll see you tomorrow." By this point, we had reached my house. I grabbed my book bag from the back and exited the car. I walked around the front of the car and stopped at the driver's side. Puck rolled down the window and just looked at me. I saw the hurt in his eyes.

I put my hand on his cheek and said, "Hey. It didn't mean anything okay? And we, as in you and I, have plans tomorrow night, remember? You better call me tonight." This comment seemed to lighten the mood as he smiled at me. I walked into my garage and put my things down to think. Believe it or not, I was really excited to go out with Puck tomorrow night. And that's when it hit me, the perfect song to sing for glee club. I jumped in excitement before relaxing on the couch and thinking through my performance for tomorrow.

I had about half of my homework finished when the doorbell sounded. I answered and saw Finn standing on my doorstep in his letterman jacket.

"Oh Finn. I'm sorry! I completely forgot. Can you give me a minute to get my things together?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Please come inside. You can help yourself to a drink and please just make yourself out home. I promise not to take too long."

"Don't worry about it. Take as much time as you need."

I dashed up the stairs into my room. I changed my shirt quickly and grabbed some cash while sliding my Vans onto my feet. I was looking really casual yet that was absolutely okay with me. After all, it was only Finn. I was so comfortable with him that I felt no need to impress him.

Moments later I returned downstairs and found my jacket so that we could head out. I found Finn looking around the kitchen semi-awkwardly. But he seemed comfortable.

"Ready?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I'm all set." He followed me to the front door as I shut and locked it behind him. We took the front path to his car and he opened the passenger side door for me. I just could not get over how much of a gentleman he was. They don't make guys like this in Pennsylvania.

Once we were both all settled in the car, Finn revved the engine and backed out of the driveway.

"So, where exactly are we going?"

"To relieve stress. We'll be there in about five minutes."

"Oh okay. I guess it's good I'm going out. I haven't exactly explored this small town yet."

"There isn't much to do, but if you know where to go, you won't be bored."

"I'm hoping that you will explain to me where the best hangouts are."

"Eventually." Oh nice. Leave me hanging there. Conversation continued normally and soon I saw we were pulling into the parking lot of a bowling alley.

"Bowling? We're going…bowling?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a great way to distract you from life. Why, are you not into bowling?"

I had to laugh, "No, bowling's fine. I guess it's just that my friends and I back home always through of bowling as a joke. I trust you though. It'll be fun."

We walked in to the joint and I was immediately consumed by neon lights and an old-fashioned sort of feel.

"Hey, Finn how are ya?" Someone asked.

"Hi Annabelle. I'm doing just fine," he said to the woman working the desk. She was probably in her 50's and she had curly red hair. She looked really sweet, with a little sass.

"Oh, and who's your friend?" she asked curiously.

"This is Kate. She's new in town and she needed to lay off some tension so here we are."

"Hello sweetie. I'm Annabelle and this is my place. What size shoe do you need?"

"Hmm, like a seven?" I answered. She grabbed my shoes, as well as Finn's, and placed them on the counter. I slid $10 dollars over to her but she shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. Not only is it your first time here, but you came with my favorite customer. It's on the house."

"Oh, wow. Thanks." I smiled to her. She smiled genuinely back at me as we walked to our lane. Number 5, how fitting. I took a seat in front of the keyboard, planning to set up the game, when I realized that the board was already partially completed. I looked up at Finn in confusion and waited for him to explain.

"Yeah, so I come here a lot. I know just about everyone who works here. And I always bowl in this lane. So now they just have it preset for me."

"Right. But why does it say…Frankenteen?" I said while holding back giggles.

"Well the first time I ever went bowling, it was with my uncle. And he told me that it's more fun to make up cool nicknames and use them instead of just using your own name. Someone called me Frankenteen once and it just stuck with me. You know, because I'm like tall and…"

"Muscley?" I said finishing his sentence. "I get it. Very clever. There's only one problem though."

"What's that?"

"I'm not sure I have a nickname."

"What about Buttercup? You know, because that girl in the Princess Bride was named Buttercup."

"That's interesting. It just sounds a little too girly to me."

"How about Striker, since you play soccer and all."

"Yeah, I like that."

"Now you need a first name to go with that…"

"How about Sasha. It's very feisty."

"Sasha Striker….I like that. Type it up." I followed his instructions and set the game to start. Finn was up first and started the game off with a strike.

"Should I be surprised? Or should I expect you to knock every pin down on each of your turns?"

"Probably more of the second option. I'll take it easy on you though," he said with a smile.

"Oh thanks, that makes me feel better," I joked. I grabbed a light blue bowling ball that seemed about the right size for me. I walked up to the lane and right as I was about to take my turn, I froze. I turned around suddenly only to see Finn watching me intently.

"Is it possible to put the bumpers down?" I asked innocently. Finn just chuckled before hitting a few buttons. I turned back around to find a bowling lane accompanied with bumpers. I was hoping my athleticism would assist me since I didn't have much experience with bowling. Unfortunately, it didn't. I think I managed to knock down three pins on my first turn. I walked shamefully back to Finn and he just laughed. I shrugged and waited for my ball to turn up which it did eventually. After another shot, I managed to score a 6 in my first frame. Finn walked up again and continued his winning streak with a spare.

"Okay, give me some tips. How do I bowl better?" I asked.

"Just relax. This is supposed to be fun, remember? Have fun with it." I gave him a look of disbelief, but decided to go with it anyway. I grabbed the bowling ball and just bowled, having fun with it. And believe it or not, I knocked over about half the pins. I jumped out of excitement and then calmly returned to a chill state, hoping Finn didn't notice. He did.

"Now what do I do?"

"You want to aim it more towards the right."

"Right. And how do I do that?"

"Why don't I just help you?" I nodded in agreement as he came up behind me and reached his arm around me. He counted to three and we both let go on that number. The ball was rolling at a fast pace and once it hit the first pin all the others crashed down.

"Aaah, a spare!" I shrieked. I embraced Finn in a hug, and he hugged me back, feeling my excitement. Eventually we broke our tight embrace and we were stuck just looking into each other's' eyes. Finn leaned down, accounting for the height difference, and his lips touched mine. We kissed for a moment before I pulled away. I looked up at him and saw his adorable face, but I realized things just weren't right. There wasn't any chemistry. I took his hand and led him over toward the seats, prepared to give him a talk that I really wasn't looking forward to.


	7. Chapter 7

The rest of the night was kind of awkward, especially the car ride. Now normally, I wouldn't consider myself an awkward person. I can be pretty talkative when I want to be. But this was bad. I liked Finn, I really did, but as more of a big brother than as a boyfriend. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to see things that way. I sat him down and told him that I didn't see us as a couple, in the nicest way possible. But the devastation was obvious. I felt terrible because Finn was probably the nicest guy at McKinley and he really didn't deserve this. There just weren't any sparks and I couldn't lead him on. I told him that I wanted our friendship to remain intact, but I knew it would take a few weeks to return to normal. I really didn't want a reputation as a heartbreaker, so I was hoping that this whole situation would remain on the DL. I assumed it would, seeing as we never really established that we were together, because we weren't.

Once I returned home I was immediately relieved. I could relax without forcing a conversation. My parents were also home and I greeted them warmly before ascending upstairs to my room. I had a boatload of homework and studying to do and I was not looking forward to starting. If only I could find a distraction…

I opened my laptop and checked Facebook quickly, checking to see if anyone was online. I was missing some of my old friends and was happy to see a few posts from then on my wall. Just as I was about to start my calculus homework, I felt my phone buzzing from my back pocket. I whipped it out quick and realized it was a call.

"You called!" I said excitedly.

"Of course I called. You wanted me to." To my pleasant surprise, I found it was Puck.

"Aw. I guess I'm just surprised. I didn't think you wanted to talk to me."

"I always want to talk to you."

"So you're not mad at me anymore?"

"I was never mad at you. I was mad at Finn."

"Well I mean it wasn't entirely his fault. I should take some of the responsibility."

"No, it's not your fault. It's his fault. He knew that I liked you, and he didn't tell me. I even asked him to help me out with you. You know that one day that he gave you a ride home? It was because I wanted him to talk to you. But then I guess he decided he liked you too."

"Oh, wow," I said sheepishly. "Did you really need his help though? I thought you would have had me pinned by now."

"For whatever reason I can't figure you out. You're different than every other girl around here and I like that. I just don't know what I need to do to win you over."

"See I could tell you, but that would just be too easy wouldn't it?"

"Probably."

"Yeah, well I have more to tell you actually." It was quiet on the other line and I knew Puck was thinking about the worst possible scenarios. "Don't worry. It's good stuff."

"Alright, I guess you should just tell me then."

"Finn took me bowling tonight, to relieve stress supposedly. And things were fine and you know, we kissed again. But something about it just wasn't right. It almost felt forced. I knew that I had to end whatever we had going on. So I sat him down and gave him the bad news. He was upset but I knew it was the right thing to do."

"You did that? Really?"

"Yeah, I mean I like Finn and all but I think we'd be better off as friends. There's no chemistry between us."

"Nothing compared to the chemistry we have right?"

I laughed and agreed sarcastically. "Are you excited for tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah, I love parties. I'd like it better if it was a date though." How did I know he would say that.

"Puck, I'm just not ready for a boyfriend…yet. I want to get used to things here before I settle in and start dating."

"I can understand that. But just to let you know, I'm not exactly patient. I'm gonna keep asking you until you say yes."

"All right, well here's some insight, I like grand gestures."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. Figure it out."

"You're a challenge Kate, I'll give you that."

"You like the chase. Admit it."

"It's definitely entertaining." He said choosing his words carefully. I couldn't actually see him, but I knew he was smiling.

"Well, it's getting late and I still have some work to do so we should probably wrap this up."

"If you insist," he sighed.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

"Oh, that reminds me! Is your car still in the shop?"

"Actually no. My parents picked it up for me tonight."

"So you don't need a ride?" he asked, slightly disappointed.

"Technically I don't _need _a ride. But if you came by around 7:00 to pick me up, I wouldn't object."

He laughed at that, and I was sure it made him happy. After that the conversation fizzled out as we both had other things to do and I began my homework. I couldn't focus too well so homework didn't last too long. Eventually, I just showered and curled up in bed, eager for sleep. The problem was I couldn't. I was extremely tired yet I just couldn't fall asleep. I sighed, preparing to be up for a while.


	8. Chapter 8

"Excited for tonight?" Puck asked me as he opened the passenger door for me. I climbed out of the jeep and commented, "Relax buddy. We still have a whole day of school to get through. I know you're excited and all but you're going to have to contain it until a little later okay?"

"You're right, I know. I just get a little carried away sometimes. So did you find a song to sing for today?"

"Actually yes. Last night I thought of something and that's why I'm dressed a little more provocatively today." I said, showing off my leather mini skirt, black v-neck tank top, and lace cropped jacket. I put on some black pumps and dark eye makeup to complete the look.

"I wasn't going to say anything, but you look like such a bad ass. The leather and lace thing totally works."

"Why thank you. I hope people don't get the wrong idea."

"They won't. You don't look like a slut. You just look hot." I shrugged at his compliment and decided not to worry about what other people thought of my look for the day. Puck escorted me inside to my locker and once I had all my things, he even walked me to Spanish class.

"So I guess I'll see you in glee club then," he said as I was about to enter the classroom.

"Yeah, see you then." He turned and headed to his first class of the day. I called after him, "Hey Puck!" He pivoted around quickly and looked at me expectantly. "Thanks, for everything." And with that I turned and went to class.

A smile was plastered on my face for whatever reason until I remembered Finn was in my Spanish class. Things between us were certain to be awkward after last night. I only hoped we wouldn't be assigned partner work today, because I doubt Finn would choose to be my partner. Luckily he wasn't in the classroom just yet. Brittany and Quinn were however, so I wasn't sitting alone.

"Damn Kate. You look hot." Brittany said.

"Well thanks," I said modestly.

"Are you singing your sexy song today?" Quinn asked me.

I nodded my head and Brittany told me she was also singing today. She wasn't dressed in anything special, just her Cheerios uniform. We began talking more about Glee club when Finn walked in. I tried to act like nothing was wrong between us by greeting him warmly like I would normally do. He mumbled something before putting his head down and turning away from me. Quinn gave me a confused look and I mouthed that I'd explain later.

Spanish class seemed to go on forever and it was probably because I had no one to talk to. I couldn't turn around to Quinn and Brit without being completely obvious. Luckily, we didn't have any partner work so I just doodled in my notebook mindlessly. Finally class ended and I was off, hoping the day would pass by quicker.

It was finally time for my big performance. Well, it wasn't exactly a big performance but still important. I walked into the room and Mr. Schue gave his usual spiel about singing and he announced that Brittany would be singing first. Her song of choice was LaLa by Ashlee Simpson, which was definitely a sexy song. Britt sang it perfectly and included some of her signature dance moves to put the icing on the cake. Then it was my turn, and my song was Out Tonight from the musical Rent.

"What's the time? Well it's got to be close to midnight. My body's talking to me, it says time for danger. It says I want to commit a crime. Want to be the cause of a fight. I want to put on a tight skirt and flirt with a stranger." Once everyone picked up on the beat, they started to get into it which only raised my confidence level.

"I've had a knack from way back, of breaking the rules once I learn the games. Get up, life's too quick. I know some place sick where this chick'll dance in the flames. We don't need any money. I always get in for free. You can get in too if you get in with me." By this point Brittany had already gotten out of her seat and started dancing with me. Mercedes and Tina followed and soon everyone was out of their seats, including Santana and Rachel.

"Let's go out tonight. I have to go out tonight. You want to play? Let's runaway. We won't be back before its New Year's Day. Take me out tonight." The song kept going with everyone dancing and singing during the chorus.

Then my favorite part of the song came up and I knew I was going to nail it. "In the evening I've got to roam, can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome. Feels too damn much like home when the Spanish babies cry. So let's find a bar, so dark we forget who we are. Where all the scars from the nevers and maybes die."

We all finished the song together and started laughing and hugging following the last note. Mr. Schue started clapping and seemed immediately impressed. I felt accomplished, considering I had learned the song in less than 24 hours. I was also happy I got such a positive response from my fellow glee-clubbers. Now that this was over I could focus more on my plans for tonight. I didn't really have any ideas as to what I was going to wear and I still didn't know what this party would be like. I went to parties in Pennsylvania but I wasn't sure if it would be the same type of deal.

School went by same as usual; nothing special or dramatic, just a lot of buzz about this upcoming party. Puck found me at my locker after the last bell and I could tell he was super excited the school day was over.

"Hey, ready to go home?" he asked.

"But, isn't there practice today?"

"Nope. Coach went home sick so no practice for us!"

"Oh, wow. That's awesome."

"Yeah, now you can go home and get ready to party."

"Well, it does take me six hours to get ready," I said sarcastically. He gave me a look that indicated he didn't appreciate my attitude and I smiled at him while shutting my locker. We walked down the hallway and out the doors to his car and I found myself getting more and more excited.

We pulled up to the house and it was packed; pretty much your stereotypical high school party. I was dressed casually in a pair of slim jeans and a solid black scoop neck tee. I dressed the look up a little bit with some simple black heels and dangly earrings. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. Puck explained it to me a little bit, but I still couldn't form a solid idea to prep myself for what I was about to witness. We walked across the lawn and upon entering the house I felt overwhelmed. It just seemed like there were too many people in the allotted space. I saw some familiar faces and greeted them quickly while following Puck to wherever he was headed.

Once we reached the kitchen, Puck turned to me and asked, "Do you want anything to drink?"

I thought for a moment and then decided to start the night off with a beer. It wasn't great, but I wasn't expecting it to be. I wasn't planning on drinking that much so it didn't bother me. We walked around a little, mingling here and there, but nothing much was going on. Maybe it was because I was still new, but this party didn't impress me that much. Within five minutes of my arrival I had nothing to do. Puck seemed to sense my confusion because he gently took my arm and lead me out back. The difference was amazing. It wasn't completely silent, but it was still peaceful. You could see the stars in the sky and look off into the distance while pondering your thoughts.

"You looked a little…overwhelmed in there. I thought things might be better for you out here."

"That was very thoughtful, Puck. Yeah, I like it a lot better out here though. Inside I just felt…claustrophobic. Not enough space to do anything."

"It usually takes a little for these parties to pick up. Once people start to leave and it's just a smaller group, it gets a lot more fun."

"I'll take your word for it. How long are you planning on staying?"

"However long you want to stay."

I smiled at him coyly, "Good answer."

"This is nice. I like when it's just you and me." As he said this I felt his arm around my shoulder.

"Oh, I see. Talking it up so you can get some action, eh?"

"Of course not. I know that stuff doesn't work on you anyway."

"Good, because I was about to set you straight."

"So Kate how have you been? I feel like we haven't had a lot of time to talk."

"Yeah, well I mean you're right about that. I just need to relax. Recently I've been so stressed and I want to have fun."

"That's why we're here right?"

"Exactly," I smiled at him. We talked for a while but it wasn't serious talk. It was very flirtatious and carefree. I could feel the beer hitting me a little and then I noticed my cup was empty. Puck offered to get me a refill and without thinking I accepted. Originally, I planned on having one drink, maybe two. But I was having such a good time with Puck that I kept drinking. It doesn't take much to get me drunk. I'm a petite girl and I don't hold my alcohol well. After my third drink, I was a little past the tipsy stage. I should have warned Puck. I should have told him not to give me more than a few drinks. I'm not exactly a classy drunk. There's nothing I can really do about it. Everyone gets a certain way when they drink and I tended to get a little clingy. I found myself touching Puck a lot and at one point my head was on his shoulder.

"Puck, do you like me?" I asked him, clearly out of my mind.

"Well of course I like you Kate."

"No, but do you really like me? Like as more than a friend?"

"Yeah, I mean I'm spending all this time with you because I want to get to know you better."

"Good, because I like you. I know I may not always show it, but it's true."

"That's reassuring."

"You're not gonna use me, are you? I've just heard things about you that I don't want to be true. But I still want to give you a chance and I really do like you. I guess that's why I haven't been able to say yes to your date offers. I love bad boys but I've had my heart broken a few times and I guess I'm just cautious." Puck was quiet. I figured I was saying a lot and he was taking it all in. I shifted again and put my head in his lap. I felt terribly tired all of the sudden and this seemed like the most comfortable spot. He ran his fingers through my hair a little and I felt even sleepier. This small gesture was comforting and I could feel my eyelids droop over my eyes.

I woke up and found myself in Puck's arms. He was carrying me to the car. I rolled my head into his chest and he noticed I woke up.

"Hey there, tiger."

"What happened?" I mumbled.

"You fell asleep."

"Aw, I ruined the party!" Yeah, still drunk.

He chuckled, "You didn't ruin anything. I had a great time. Now what do you say we get you home?"

"Okay," I said dreamily. We reached his car and he carefully put me down. He kept an arm around me to keep me steady and he opened the car door and helped me slide in safely. Puck fished out his keys and sat behind the wheel. He revved up the engine and I stopped him by saying, "Wait a minute. You can't drive. Aren't you drunk too?"

He laughed at me again. "No, I wasn't drinking tonight. I wanted to make sure you got home safely."

"Oh, that's really nice. Okay then." He drove off and I flipped through the radio stations, searching for one that fit my mood.

"Are we going to my house?" I asked him.

"Well, yeah. That's where I was planning on going."

"Can we not? My parents will definitely be able to tell I'm drunk. And I'll get grounded."

"I guess we can go to my house. Will they be okay with that?"

"Well no. But I'll just text my mom and tell her I'm spending the night at Quinn's. What about your parents?"

"Um, they're actually away this weekend so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Oh perfect!" Puck continued driving and I was chatting animatedly about who knows what. Drunk Kate was always rather entertaining.

Soon we pulled into his driveway. He parked the car and said, "Well this is home. I know it's not much, but it's all I've got." I stepped out of the car and studied the house. Yes, it was small. But it was cute in a way. Very quaint. I knew it had character and even if it wasn't the most modern of houses.

"I like it." I said honestly. He smiled a little as he opened the door for me. Puck was the perfect gentleman, offering me food and everything. I felt myself getting tired so I requested a cup of water. He filled me up a big glass and showed me upstairs to his room.

"So you'll sleep here tonight and I'll take the couch downstairs," he said, motioning toward the bed.

"No, that's not happening. It's your bed so you should sleep in it."

"Kate, it's really not a big deal. You're my guest so I insist you sleep here."

"You've been really great to me tonight, but I'm not letting you do this. I'm not sleeping in your bed," I stated firmly.

"Okay, well neither am I."

"So, we're just gonna fight over the couch then?"

"It looks that way," he said while walking towards the door. I knew what he was up to and I tried to beat him downstairs, but he was too fast. He jumped on the couch and spread out, taking up all the room.

"Oh please. You're not going to stop me," I said. I grabbed his arm and tried pulling him off the sofa, but it didn't seem to be working. He seemed to think it was pretty amusing. Finally I just gave up and laid on top of him. Our laughter subsided and the moment became more serious. I felt my face getting closer to his and our eyes connected. Right as our lips were about to meet, he broke the silence and said, "Why don't I get you a T-shirt and pair of shorts. You won't be comfortable sleeping in jeans."

This statement took me by surprise, "Oh. Yeah, okay." He managed to slide out from underneath me and he darted up the stairs. I sat Indian style on the couch and tried to figure out what happened. Maybe Puck didn't like me. I felt so rejected and embarrassed. All I wanted to do was sleep. Puck returned with a baggy shirt and some drawstring shorts. He showed me to the bathroom where I quickly changed and then returned to the living room. There was a pillow and blanket on the couch which I assumed was for me. Puck was nowhere in sight so I guess he decided to sleep in his own bed. I curled up on the couch and fell asleep quickly, trying to forget about this night entirely.


	9. Chapter 9

Beer had an interesting effect on me. I could fall asleep very easily but I remained asleep for an hour tops. The rest of the night was always spent tossing and turning and trying to sleep with little success. I didn't get awfully hungover from beer, but I was always sleep deprived. I woke up and checked the clock, noticing it was around 2 am. Seemed about right. I sat up and looked around, trying to remember where I was and then I saw Puck lying on the ground. He had a small pillow under his head and a blanket wrapped around him. So he wasn't leaving me. Previous events returned to my memory and I recalled feeling embarrassed. Again I was filled with doubt about how much Puck even liked me. I was still being influenced by the beer a bit and felt a need for affection. I slid off the couch with my blanket and laid next to him. He stirred and opened his eyes, surprised to see me.

"Hey, is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I was just feeling lonely I guess."

"Come here," he said opening his arms. He embraced me and I felt genuinely warm and fuzzy. Once our hugging ended, his arm was still around me and my head was on his chest.

"Why are you sleeping on the floor? You should be upstairs in your bed."

"I don't mind. Plus I wanted to be here for you in case you woke up, which you did evidently."

"That's really sweet of you Puck. Thanks for taking care of me tonight."

"I just hope you had a good time."

"I definitely had fun, I just hope I wasn't embarrassing or anything. I can barely remember some of the things I was saying."

"Don't worry, you were fine. In fact, I thought it was cute how silly you were."

"How flirty did I get?"

"Pretty flirty."

"Did I make any moves on you?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, you did. And I somehow managed to resist them."

"Yeah? Well good, usually I get taken advantage of."

"Kate, I would never take advantage of you. I don't want to have an intimate moment with you when you're too drunk to remember it. I want to wait for the right moment."

I sat up and looked at his face, just to ensure he was being honest. He was. "I can't believe you're saying all this stuff. I mean, I thought you were this tough guy only interested in hooking up. But you're saying all this stuff that I always wanted someone to say. I like it."

He didn't respond but simply smiled at me. I thought for a moment and had to decide whether my mind was still clouded by alcohol or not. I wanted to kiss him and it seemed like the perfect time, but I didn't want to be rejected again so I didn't risk anything. I put my head back down on his shoulder and just rested. I knew I wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon so I was content with just thinking.

"What's on your mind?" Puck asked me.

I sighed, "Not really too much, I'm just pretty happy with how things are right now. And what are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about how I'm really happy whenever I'm with you and how everything you say makes me like you more. And I'm also thinking about how I don't want to screw things up by moving too fast."

"So you're waiting on me to make the first move?" I asked him.

"Kind of, yeah. I just want your approval before I try anything."

"How's this for approval?" I tilted my head up towards his and put my lips on top of his mouth. It was a soft kiss, but very intimate.

We both pulled away and he smiled. "Yeah, that'll work," he chuckled. I laughed softly as he scooped my head up with his hands and brought it close to his face. This time he made the move forward and we kissed again, this time a little harder and definitely passionate. I wrapped my arms around his neck and was just happy with this moment. After a little while, we stopped. I hugged him because it seemed appropriate and I soon found myself cuddling with him again.

"You know the couch is probably more comfortable," he said.

"You're probably right. Yet I'm pretty content here. Most likely because I don't feel like moving."

"Well in that case," Puck stated, standing up. I just looked up at him curiously and he bent over and picked me up bridal style.

"I feel like I should be opposed to this because it makes me seem helpless, but it's kind of nice," I replied.

"That's a good thing. And the fact that you're light as a feather makes carrying you even more enjoyable,"

"Oh, stop. You're making me blush," I rolled my eyes and hit his chest playfully.

Once we reached the couch, he placed me down gently and left me there for a moment to grab a blanket. Upon his return he added, "All right, slide over."

I just shook my head. "What, you don't want to lay with me?" he questioned.

I shook my head again and said, "That's not it." At this point he was just confused. Seeing that he wasn't picking up what I was putting down, I took the initiative. I sat up and signaled for him to come closer. When he did, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of me. He couldn't hide the smile on his face if his life depended on it. I started kissing him and it wasn't long before the frenching began.


	10. Chapter 10

I woke up the next morning feeling hazy. I had some faint memories from the night before in that I remembered events but I couldn't remember details. I could trace what happened throughout the night, but I didn't remember much about what I said or how I acted. But I knew drunk Kate. She was talkative, entertaining, and very very flirty. I hoped it didn't push Puck away. I remembered him being extremely sweet to me, but it could've just been because I was drunk. I sat up and realized I was alone on the couch. There were several blankets covering me and pillows had propped my head up. I searched for Puck but didn't see him anywhere. I did find a glass of water on the table next to the bed. As soon as it caught my eye, I noticed how thirsty I was. Water would certainly diminish this slight hangover I had. I sipped the water until it was gone and decided to get up and wander around. After using the bathroom and cleaning myself up a little, I walked around the room even more. Suddenly it dawned on me. A heavenly scent. The scent of bacon.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Puck working the stovetop.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty. How ya feeling?"

"Not terrible. A little hazy is all."

"I hope you're hungry. I didn't know what you liked for breakfast so I kind of made everything. Eggs, pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausage. And then there's cereal and oatmeal if you want something like that. Are you a coffee drinker?"

"Oh yes, I am a caffeine addict." He grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled the cup almost full. "Cream and sugar?" He questioned.

"Milk and sugar is fine," he took the milk and sugar out and grabbed me a spoon. I nodded as I prepared my coffee, grateful for his hospitality.

"Puck, this is all so thoughtful. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nothing. Everything is just about finished. He plated all the food and placed it on the kitchen island. He gave me a plate and let me shovel food onto it before helping himself. I took a little of everything and was amazed by Puck's generosity as well as his cooking skills.

"Thank you for all of this. I really didn't expect any of this."

"Yeah, well breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Plus I figured you could use a little fuel after last night."

"Okay, real talk. I know you said I was fine last night, but be honest with me. How was I? Did I embarrass myself?"

"It wasn't embarrassing, it was cute. And actually refreshing. You have this presence that is very…well, perfect. And last night you showed some of those imperfections. It wasn't bad or anything, it just gave me a real insight into who you truly are."

"Oh is that so?"

"You're so mysterious and I like that and all, but I like seeing the real you too."

I just smiled at him. He had certainly impressed me last night with his thoughtfulness. He showed that he truly cared about me.

"If I recall correctly, you were awfully sweet last night. And this morning too."

"I just think you should be treated with care. You deserve the best. And I hope that I showed you how much I care about you. I know I have a bit of a reputation at school but with you it's different. I've never felt so drawn to someone before and I won't screw this up."

I didn't know how to respond to that. I just smiled at him and changed the subject. "So, do you actually have a family or do you live here by yourself?" I joked.

"Actually…I do live on my own. My parents disappeared when I was about 16 and I've been by myself ever since."

"Oh my god, are you serious?"

"No, I'm not serious! They're at a basketball tournament with my younger sister," he laughed.

"Wow, things just got real for a second. I was genuinely concerned for you."

"Yeah, the home life is good. No need to worry. They'll be back on Sunday."

"Oh, so we have the place to ourselves for the weekend?" I raised an eyebrow as I said this.

"Well what did you have in mind?" he breathed.

"Not what you're thinking, I'm sure." I smiled at him and started cleaning up the excess food and dirty dishes. "Are you just gonna sit there, or are you gonna help me?" I challenged him. He smiled and got up to join me.

"Almost done. We just need one more. Pass me that yellow knit blanket," he instructed. I grabbed the long blanket from the couch and threw it over to Puck. He arranged it along the top of the structure and declared our masterpiece complete.

"Can we go inside now?" I questioned excitedly. He nodded and I crawled into the blanket fort we had just created. It made me feel like a kid again. Back when things were simpler and the most trivial things meant the world to you. It was nice to not have to worry about anything for a little bit.

"I have to admit Kate, when you first suggested building a blanket fort, I was a little skeptical. It seemed a little childish. But I can honestly say this is the most fun I've had in a while." We were sitting in the blanket fort. The only light came that came in was through the window, illuminating the technicolor blankets that could only be seen from the inside.

"It's fun to act like a kid sometimes. I always do stuff like this when I feel like I'm growing up too fast."

"You feel like you're growing up too fast?"

"Sometimes. Just trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and where I want to go to college. There are so many decisions we're making right now that could impact our lives forever."

"You should try living in the present more. I mean don't get me wrong, you should definitely be thinking about the future. But don't stress out so much. You're only young once. Make sure you take time to enjoy it."

"That's really great advice." I looked at him and studied his face. I had always found him attractive, but I never really noticed the details in his features. His smug smile was unbelievably charming and his eyes were a brilliant shade of green. "I never noticed how pretty your eyes were before. They're green, just like mine," I whispered.

"They're nothing compared to yours. I get lost in them every time I see you." I felt him come closer as he said this. His hand crept onto my cheek and he pulled my face to his. Our eyes were locked and a minute later he gently placed his lips on top of mine. It was a gentle kiss, but there was a true spark. Last night we had kissed but it was nothing like this. This was verification that we had a true connection. I couldn't recall ever feeling this way before. The kiss didn't last terribly long, and Puck pulled away.

"Wow," I exhaled. "That…that was incredible."

"Glad it wasn't just me who felt it."

I leaned in for another and Puck responded hesitantly. He pulled away quickly after.

"What's wrong?" I asked confused.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing is wrong. You're amazing and I don't want to mess things up by moving too fast. It'll be nearly impossible to resist you, but I'll do it until I can call you mine."

"That's really admirable. I'm impressed, Noah."

"Noah? I didn't even think you knew my real name."

"Sure, I do. When I first met you, you introduced yourself as Noah Puckerman, but said that everyone called you Puck. And I've called you Puck ever since. But I think that's going to change."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?"

"Because everyone calls you Puck and I don't want to be everyone. I want to be special."

"You are special," he said to me, seriously.

I tried to hide my smile and did so by changing the subject. "What should we do now?"

"How about we curl up in our blanket fort and put on a movie?"

"Sounds perfect."

"What should we watch?"

"Your choice. All the movies are on the shelf over there," he said.

I sauntered over and quickly browsed through the collection. "Well, it's definitely gonna be something from the '80s," I said skimming the DVDs.

"Why the '80s?"

"All the best movies were made in the '80s. The Breakfast Club. Sixteen Candles. Pretty in Pink. Ferris Bueller." I finally came to a decision. I pulled the movie off the shelf and held it up to face Noah. "And Say Anything."

"I've actually never seen this."

"Oh, it's a good one. Trust me." I popped in the DVD as Puck rearranged the blanket fort, allowing us to see the TV from within. I cuddled up next to Noah as the movie started and he put his arm around me.


	11. Chapter 11

"So, what did you think?" I asked, excitedly.

"I actually really liked it. I was a little worried that you picked out a chick flick, but that was enjoyable. They kind of reminded me of us a little bit."

"Okay, I mean I can kind of see you fitting into the Lloyd Dobler role because he's adorable and charming and misunderstood. But I am not Diane Court."

"You are. You're smart and beautiful-" I cut him off before he could finish.

"But I'm not sheltered, and awkward, and I'm not so focused on academics."

"So maybe you aren't a perfect match. But it's more the idea than anything."

"Do I talk funny?"

"What?"

"She, she just talks funny. Like she moves her mouth weird. Please tell me I'm not like that."

He just laughed at me. "You pick up on the most minor details. I didn't even notice that."

"How could you not?! It was so irritating."

"Sorry, I guess it's just hard to focus on a movie when I have my dream girl under my arm."

I gave him a look and a smirk, but I had to admit it was a good response, regardless of if it was accurate or not.

"So when are you taking me out to dinner?" I asked him.

"Like a date?" he questioned.

"Yeah like a date. Don't tell me you've changed your mind. You proposed a dinner date the first day we met."

"I can't take you to dinner for our first date."

"And why not?"

"Because I need to do something special. Dinner was the plan before I really got to know you. Things are completely different now."

"Okay well when are you taking me on our special first date?"

"Just give me a few days to plan something," he pleaded.

I sighed dramatically, "Well I guess I can wait…" I joked.

"I thought you wanted to take things slow?" he questioned.

"Oh, I do. But I think we're ready for a real date. We've spent time together and feelings have been established so that's the next logical step."

"Ah, logic. Of course."

"Well that and the fact that I want to go on a date with you."

"That's a better answer."

All the sudden, I felt a huge yawn take over me. "Oh man, I'm ready for a nap. What time is it anyway?"

"It's a quarter to three."

"I guess I should get home soon. Don't want to overstay my welcome."

"You could never do that. However, I will take you home whenever you want."

"Okay. You can take me home. But after we take a quick nap." I grabbed a blanket and pulled it over me, and then rested my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me as I rested my hand on his chest. He kissed the top of my head and I drifted off to sleep.

I was startled awake by the sound of my alarm. I checked the time and noticed I had overslept ever so slightly. I still had enough time to get ready, but I definitely had to hustle. I dressed quickly, in a T-shirt and leggings and slid some boots on. I poured myself a cup of coffee and grabbed a granola bar as I ran out the door. As I opened my car door, I suddenly heard the honking of a car horn. It startled me, and I turned around and saw the familiar Jeep that belonged to Noah Puckerman. I smiled at him as he signaled for me to get in the car.

"What are you doing here?" I asked surprised.

"I just couldn't wait to see you. And I like picking you up for school."

"Well I'm certainly not going to argue with that. I hope you weren't waiting here long."

"A couple of minutes. I thought about texting you but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"You definitely succeeded in that one. How was your weekend?"

"Hmm, let's see. I spent some time with this amazing girl and then I couldn't stop thinking about her. So I guess you could say it was pretty good." I just smiled at him, not sure how to respond. We talked the whole ride in and I couldn't stop smiling. He made me happy, even when we did mindless things like drive to school together.

We arrived to the school and walked in together. Heads might've been turning except we'd done this pretty frequently since I was carless for about a week. No one seemed to notice anything between us which was fine with me. I was never one for unnecessary attention.

We parted ways, heading to our lockers before class. I probably would only see him inbetween classes throughout the day since we didn't share any classes. It wasn't ideal but there was nothing I could do to change it.

I reached my locker and was gathering my books for my first half of the day. It was a Monday and I was already feeling a little miserable. Once I had everything I needed, I shut the locker and turned to go to class. I made it about halfway down the hallway when I heard someone call "Hey Kate!" behind me. I stopped and did a 180 when I saw my life flash before my eyes. Karofksy and Adams were feet away from me, with devilish grins on their faces and a blue slushie in hand. I was already frozen and couldn't move out of the way. Everything was moving in slow motion. I saw the cup jerk upwards and blue clumps of ice went airborne. I knew it was coming, yet I still wasn't prepared for this icy sensation. I shut my eyes and waited for the chill, but it never came. I looked in front of me and found Noah, blue from head to toe. He took a slushie for me.

He stood up tall and came face to face with Karofsky. "Don't ever come near her again," he said with a menacing tone, "or you'll have me to answer to." The two bullies tried to maintain their composure as they walked away, but everyone knew not to mess with Puck.

He turned to me and said, "Hey are you okay?"

"Am I okay? I think the question is are you okay?" I responded.

"Oh I'm fine. I can handle a little ice," he shrugged.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned off." We proudly walked to the choir room as people looked us up in down in curiosity. I assumed that in moments the entire school would hear about what happened. Gossip seemed to spread quite rapidly in this school. We walked into the room and saw some of the Glee club members messing around on the piano. Kurt, Mercedes, and Tina all jumped up upon seeing Puck covered in slush.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Mercedes asked. The three sauntered over to us as Noah took a seat in the nearest chair.

"They were going after me actually. He jumped in the way to save me," I explained with a smile.

"Wow, Puck what got into you?" Tina added. He just shrugged with a boyish grin. I grabbed a wet towel and started wiping the sticky blue syrup off his face. The skin was easy to clean off, but the clothes were a different story. The fabric had absorbed most of the slush and were not only soaking wet but also bright blue. Luckily he wasn't wearing his letterman jacket because that definitely would've been ruined. Still I continued scrubbing to try and get the stains out.

"Kate, it's okay. It's really not a big deal."

"No it is! And you did this for me so I'm going to help."

"I think I can be of assistance," Kurt said. We both looked up and he indicated for us to come over. We followed him to the auditorium and continued backstage to the costume room.

"Great, I have one of these theater costumes to choose from." Noah said. I nudged him and gave him a look.

"Actually no. As you know, I get slushied quite frequently. So I started storing some extra ensembles back here. I realize your taste level is a bit different from mine, however I think you should find something that will suffice.

Puck nodded and thanked him graciously, but I could tell he had his reservations. I took the lead and skimmed through the clothing rack in search of something simple for Noah to wear. After several different blouses and ornate jackets, I finally found something I thought could work.

"How about this?" I pulled a blue and white checkered button up shirt. While Kurt probably wore this under some sort of blazer, I could see Noah wearing it on its own.

"I mean it wouldn't be my first choice, but I can pull it off," he smiled and grabbed the hanger with the shirt on it. "Now I just need a pair of pants that aren't skin tight."

"That might be a little more challenging." After searching through almost every pair of pants on the rack, we came across a pair of khakis. Kurt didn't seem to have any jeans and all the other options were rather tailored.

"I don't even know if these clothes are going to fit me. Kurt and I aren't exactly the same size or build."

"Well go try them on and find out!"

He followed my instructions and ducked into the empty dressing room. Moments later he emerged in the new threads.

"Wow, look at you!"

"Haha. Very funny."

"No I'm serious! You clean up real nice. This look totally works for you."

"You don't think they're…too tight?"

"Not at all. I mean they certainly aren't baggy, but I think they cling to the right spots."

He still didn't look convinced. "You really think it looks okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I really do."

"That's all that matters then." He put his arm around me and we walked onto the stage.

"Kate, I have a proposition for you."

"Oh do you?"

"Yes and I realize you might not go for this, but keep in mind we both just went through a traumatic experience."

"Okay, continue…"

"Well, since first period has already begun and walking in late without a pass would be very unprofessional, I say we just hang out here until next period."

"You know I'm not usually one for skipping classes, but I am feeling a little rebellious today."

"That's what I like to hear!"

"Now, what exactly did you have in mind?"

"We are in the auditorium. Might as well make use of it." Puck disappeared for a moment and came back with an acoustic guitar in hand. "What's your favorite song?"

"That's easy…Island in the Sun by Weezer." Puck smirked and started playing the first few bars of the song.

I sang the first lyrics, "When you're on a holiday, you can't find the words to say."

Noah came in with the next verse, "All the things that come to you, and I wanna feel it too."

"On an island in the sun, we'll be playing and having fun, and it makes me feel so fine I can't control my brain." We both sang that together and our voices couldn't have complimented each other better. I was never one to actively seek the spotlight, but I almost wished someone was there to witness our impromptu duet.

Noah took the lead on the next line, "When you're on a golden sea, you don't need no memory."

To which I replied, "Just a place to call your own, as we drift into the zone."

In unison we sung, "On an island in the sun, we'll be playing and having fun, and it makes me feel so fine I can't control my brain."

By this point we had found a spot seated at the end of the stage, with our legs hanging over the edge. Noah was still playing the guitar and the song finally started coming to a close.

"We'll run away together. We'll spend some time forever. We'll never feel bad anymore," we sang together. Singing together seemed so effortless. Actually, everything between us felt pretty effortless.

The song continued with a few more drabbles but the both of us had lost interest in the song. Our eyes were locked and I couldn't look away. There was such a strong connection between the two of us. Puck abruptly stopped playing the guitar and came closer to me. I felt his hand gently touch my cheek as our faces came together. It almost felt like we were frozen in time. You could cut the tension with a knife, but it was a good sort of tension. Almost entirely attraction. I broke the moment because I couldn't handle it any more. I leaned in and pressed my lips against his ever so slightly. Our gentle kiss grew deeper and more passionate. I completely forgot where we were or what was even happening. It was just the two of us in that moment. At least, until we were interrupted.

"HEY!" a voice shouted. I jumped in my skin and Noah and I pulled apart. We looked up to find the infamous Sue Sylvester standing at the door of the auditorium, wearing a royal blue Adidas track suit.

"What do we have here? Two delinquents skipping class. Not on my watch." She approached us and I was suddenly nervous.

"I feel no guilt whatsoever giving you both detention after school today." She handed us two blue slips that featured the details of our violation and our detention.

"Now get out of here." I looked at Puck worriedly and we scurried off the stage. We walked through the wings of the curtain and just before we reached the stage door Noah grabbed my hand and pulled me back towards him. I spun into him and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me passionately once again.

"Sorry, I just had to do that one more time before we rejoined the real world," he said. I smiled at him and pretended like I wasn't swooning. "Now, get to class before you get into any more trouble. I'll see you during free period," I said. I ran ahead of him and just before I left the stage, I returned to Noah. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing indefinitely.


End file.
